Thread Number: 54797
Going to pick up a WP PowerClean today!!! |
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Post# 771841   7/19/2014 at 09:17 (3,540 days old) by murando531 (Augusta, Georgia - US)   |   | |
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In a couple of hours actually! My scouring of local appliance outlets and Craigslist, etc. has finally paid off. This one looks to be a '99, or maybe '00; the serial# will tell once I get it. This control panel style was my favorite out of all the versions, this one being before they changed to the round buttons. They told me that they upgraded to stainless steel recently and just don't need it anymore, but that it still works fine. I plan to disassemble it completely and inspect/clean every piece, so hopefully there will be nothing major to need replacing. I do plan to replace the silverware basket with the newer version, the light grey with darker blue lock tab -- just looks nicer to me. I'm also debating replacing the upper rack with the non-tiered version. My Maytag also has the same tiered rack, in fact they look literally identical, even with the 12 year difference, but I suppose they don't change things that don't really need to be. I'd rather have the normal rack because I don't load large/tall pans and baking sheets and the like into a dishwasher, and the tiered rack makes you change your loading options for taller cups and glasses.
Anyway, here are the two pictures from CL. I'll have to post more once I get it back home. |
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Post# 771899 , Reply# 1   7/19/2014 at 13:46 (3,540 days old) by Frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie)   |   | |
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Wow, congratulations! So many here have commented that these are powerful cleaners---without the 3-hour cycles of today's machines. Hope it is in as good of shape mechanically as it is cosmetically! I've always liked the silverware-in-the-door option, as it opens up the bottom rack for big pots/pans, etc. And no funnel leading to the upper rack as in my '87 Whirlpool portable.
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Post# 771904 , Reply# 2   7/19/2014 at 14:23 (3,540 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey)   |   | |
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I always prefer the extended racks, and the silverware holder inside.....in an instant you can remove it for larger items.....if its located on the door, your flexability is limited...IMHO
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Post# 771907 , Reply# 3   7/19/2014 at 14:30 (3,540 days old) by appnut (TX)   |   | |
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Post# 771918 , Reply# 4   7/19/2014 at 15:50 (3,540 days old) by murando531 (Augusta, Georgia - US)   |   | |
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It is in excellent condition, surprisingly the most on the exterior. No scratches or dings. The inside looks to be in fine shape, just needs some good TLC. There are a few rust stains on the plastic, but a good paste of baking soda and peroxide will take it out. There's also some hard water residue, but again, that's simple to take care of. I'm excited to get home and dig into it. I'm surprised that it still has all the insulation with it, and this stuff is serious! I expected to have a tattered thin blanket over it and nothing else, but it still has the original sound blocking material, top and bottom, I guess that serves as a noise barrier for the motor. My aunts doesn't even have that, and hers is still quiet, so I'd imagine this one will be even more quiet.
Researching the manuals, this one seems to be a higher end MOL model, right under the one with the Sani-Rinse and soil sensor. The lower ends had mechanical controls. I know for sure that I'll be replacing the nylon washer bearings on the lower wash arm. I'm debating just buying the whole assembly, unless I can buff this one to its original shine. I'll have to test it to see if the arms are running at full power, and to also run a good descaling cycle. We're in Nashville right now, but when I get back home to the computer I'll post some before pictures. |
Post# 771927 , Reply# 5   7/19/2014 at 16:34 (3,540 days old) by Frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie)   |   | |
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Martin-- I had the '87 Whirlpool portable for less than a year. I liked that the door could be opened a bit and a piece of silverware dropped in the holder. But you're right about the bull-nose rack; if you need the room you can move or remove the in-rack silverware holder. Mine had the funnel in the center of the lower rack channeling water to the upper, so the lower rack was a bit challenging to work with from the get-go.
Come to think of it, the spot I liked the best for silverware was across the front of the lower rack, as in KitchenAids. Think I put it in that spot with Smokey The Maytag, as well. |
Post# 771952 , Reply# 6   7/19/2014 at 19:28 (3,540 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey)   |   | |
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there were some pros and cons to that center tower......
one big advantage was the adjustable upper rack... no matter what.....you can throw anything at that dishwasher, and get guaranteed results everytime....under an hour at that.... thats why I have three of them.....2 with a tower, one without.... plus a KA KUDS2300 |
Post# 772194 , Reply# 7   7/20/2014 at 22:29 (3,539 days old) by murando531 (Augusta, Georgia - US)   |   | |
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Sorry for the delay guys. This as been a busy two days. Anyway, I was up late last night scrubbing and inspecting every single piece of this dishwasher, and despite being 15 years old and having some scale build up and rust stains, this thing is in excellent condition. The nylon bearing on the lower wash arm definitely needs replacing ASAP, it's flattened to less than paper thin. The racks and silverware basket need love too, although I'm ready to replace them right away. I'd like the newer style off-white/greyish racks, the upper being standard level, not tiered, and the grey silverware basket.
I scrubbed for over 2 hours on the tub, using CLR to loosen and clear away the limescale. I suspect they used cheapo liquid Cascade, the WORST detergent that can be used in a dishwasher. It even has that telltale odor inside. Not anymore though! Here are some before pics, then the afters will come..well, after. |
Post# 772197 , Reply# 8   7/20/2014 at 22:30 (3,539 days old) by murando531 (Augusta, Georgia - US)   |   | |
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Post# 772198 , Reply# 9   7/20/2014 at 22:32 (3,539 days old) by murando531 (Augusta, Georgia - US)   |   | |
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Post# 772199 , Reply# 10   7/20/2014 at 22:34 (3,539 days old) by murando531 (Augusta, Georgia - US)   |   | |
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Like I said, racks and basket will be replaced soon hopefully. You can see the rust and deposit build up if you look closely. Surprisingly there isn't a single piece missing though. It's usually hard to find a model like this of this age without at least a bumper or the small bridge pieces for the track missing.
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Post# 772200 , Reply# 11   7/20/2014 at 22:35 (3,539 days old) by murando531 (Augusta, Georgia - US)   |   | |
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Post# 772201 , Reply# 12   7/20/2014 at 22:35 (3,539 days old) by murando531 (Augusta, Georgia - US)   |   | |
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Post# 772202 , Reply# 13   7/20/2014 at 22:36 (3,539 days old) by murando531 (Augusta, Georgia - US)   |   | |
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Post# 772203 , Reply# 14   7/20/2014 at 22:37 (3,539 days old) by murando531 (Augusta, Georgia - US)   |   | |
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Post# 772204 , Reply# 15   7/20/2014 at 22:39 (3,539 days old) by murando531 (Augusta, Georgia - US)   |   | |
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Post# 772205 , Reply# 16   7/20/2014 at 22:41 (3,539 days old) by murando531 (Augusta, Georgia - US)   |   | |
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Post# 772209 , Reply# 18   7/20/2014 at 22:54 (3,539 days old) by murando531 (Augusta, Georgia - US)   |   | |
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Now for the afters!! I cleaned and polished the exterior, cleared the dust and any dirt from the underside, and ran it through a couple of 20 minute Heavy Wash with Power Scour prewashes. It heats the prewash on this selection, and even with using cold outside hose water, it began to steam after about 10 minutes, another thing I always loved about these. I did a vinegar soak after the CLR and disassembly treatment, and after a few full fill flushes, I used a splash of bleach, followed by a Cascade Complete pac to give it a fresh smell. Here are the results...
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Post# 772210 , Reply# 19   7/20/2014 at 22:55 (3,539 days old) by murando531 (Augusta, Georgia - US)   |   | |
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Post# 772211 , Reply# 20   7/20/2014 at 22:55 (3,539 days old) by murando531 (Augusta, Georgia - US)   |   | |
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Post# 772213 , Reply# 21   7/20/2014 at 22:56 (3,539 days old) by murando531 (Augusta, Georgia - US)   |   | |
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Post# 772214 , Reply# 22   7/20/2014 at 22:58 (3,539 days old) by murando531 (Augusta, Georgia - US)   |   | |
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Post# 772215 , Reply# 23   7/20/2014 at 22:59 (3,539 days old) by murando531 (Augusta, Georgia - US)   |   | |
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Post# 772216 , Reply# 24   7/20/2014 at 23:00 (3,539 days old) by murando531 (Augusta, Georgia - US)   |   | |
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Post# 772217 , Reply# 25   7/20/2014 at 23:01 (3,539 days old) by murando531 (Augusta, Georgia - US)   |   | |
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Post# 772218 , Reply# 26   7/20/2014 at 23:02 (3,539 days old) by murando531 (Augusta, Georgia - US)   |   | |
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Post# 772219 , Reply# 27   7/20/2014 at 23:04 (3,539 days old) by murando531 (Augusta, Georgia - US)   |   | |
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Post# 772221 , Reply# 28   7/20/2014 at 23:06 (3,539 days old) by murando531 (Augusta, Georgia - US)   |   | |
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Post# 772222 , Reply# 29   7/20/2014 at 23:13 (3,539 days old) by murando531 (Augusta, Georgia - US)   |   | |
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washer111 - Thanks! I'm so glad to have finally found one. I've been wanting one of these for almost 10 years now, ever since living at home when my dad bought a portable GE Nautilus, in spite of me showing him that the portable PowerClean at the time was a much better and slightly cheaper machine. I'll have to check out some of the people here, because I'm excited to restore it with the updated racks and that they put into the later PCs. As far as noise level, it's honestly not bad at all. Without any of the insulation, you can hear the torrents of water against the tub, but once putting the blanket and panels back on, it's more of a muffled sloshing. The motor has a soothing hum to it. Once it's in a cabinet, properly installed, with a full load of dishes it will sound like a dream.
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Post# 772237 , Reply# 31   7/21/2014 at 01:58 (3,538 days old) by murando531 (Augusta, Georgia - US)   |   | |
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I'll have to do that! I just got it installed. I feel kinda bad pulling the Maytag out though. I absolutely love that machine, and has yet to let me down in the year I've had it, and it's a beautiful machine at that. My thinking, however, is that in terms of "lifespan" between the machines, the Whirlpool is on a much shorter rope. With its age, I know that in the next 5-10 years it may become harder to find parts should anything go bad -- despite being a very durable machine even after 15 years -- along with the fact that detergents will probably become more and more designed for low-water use machines, causing poor performance in ones that use 2 gallons per fill. The Maytag is brand new, so its window of easily usable/repairable time is much larger. I figure that because I've wanted a Whirlpool PC for so long that I might as well enjoy it while I can. It's not like I can't simply reinstall the Maytag should I decide I miss it that much anyway.
Now that I have in installed in the kitchen, the yellow of the racks and interior shine like a sore thumb. It doesn't help that our cabinets are reddish brown, the countertops are a marbled tan/brown color, and the tile is tan, which seems to amplify it. I'm hoping that continual use of good detergent will brighten the tub and door walls, but I know the racks will simply have to be replaced with the greyish white versions. Picturing it in my mind, it seems like that will help give it a more modern look as well. Funny thing is that the dark grey lower rack of the Maytag fits perfectly, but has a larger opening on the side for the silverware basket, where the WP has tines in that area for 2 plates to sit. I would just use that, but the upper rack wouldn't match and it would just look tacky. I know the racks can't be whitened anymore, as what they are now are their normal color, but is there anything that will work to help clean the tub a little more? |
Post# 772303 , Reply# 33   7/21/2014 at 12:16 (3,538 days old) by murando531 (Augusta, Georgia - US)   |   | |
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I'll have to keep an eye out for that. I wish Cascade still made the Plastic Booster gel. That stuff could take the stains out of old plastic containers with years-old tomato sauce stains, and it took any stains in the machine out with it. Why they discontinued it, I have no clue.
Last night I ran a full load of dishes on Normal wash with no options. It does a prewash, then a main wash for 20 minutes, a purge, then final rinse for 30-40 minutes. I forgot how short the main wash is on these! I may have to add the Power Scour option to extend it for the detergent. The final rinse gets so hot that steam was pouring from the vent! I had to rearrange some bowls at the beginning, because the spray is so strong that it moves even heavier glassware, though Corelle isn't what you'd consider that heavy anyway. Overall, it sounds just like every PowerClean I've ever heard. You can tell it's on, and compared to the Maytag it's not near as quiet, but it's also not intrusive. The powerful yet gentle sounding motor hum and the muffled sloshing are kind of soothing. I found a good spot in the corner of one of the closets to store the Maytag, that way it's less likely that bugs and dust will get inside, and the elements won't harm it. I figure we'll use the Whirlpool for a few good months, and take note of any big changes that are good vs. bad. It looks really nice in the cabinet though! I spent a good 30 minutes just fine tuning the leveling legs to make sure it was perfectly symmetrical and even. *In picture #2 you can see the steam billowing from the vent. |
Post# 772362 , Reply# 36   7/21/2014 at 17:50 (3,538 days old) by murando531 (Augusta, Georgia - US)   |   | |
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I went and bought some Lemi-Shine machine cleaner today. Compared to Affresh, which has not so great reviews, Lemi-Shine seemed to have nothing but positive remarks. It is mainly citric acid and some other stuff, and the instructions say to start the dishwasher, let it wash for 5 minutes or so, then stop the machine and let it sit for a minimum of four hours. I set it on Heavy and Power Scour, because the prewash is a good 15-20 minutes, with a thermal hold until it reaches 140 degrees. Once I see steam coming from the vent I'll stop it and let it sit. Hopefully this will take care of what buildup and stains remain, and also polish the wash arm a bit.
I'm sure the wash time will be sufficient, I guess I'm used to the Maytag running a 45 minute main wash, plus around the same time for the rinse. My aunt's PowerClean is a newer model, where Normal cycle is Main Wash-Purge-Final Rinse, and her's seems to still give spectacular results, especially with how nasty they load their dishes. I'm excited to get a good BobLoad going. I'll have to post pictures when the time comes! |
Post# 772443 , Reply# 37   7/22/2014 at 07:18 (3,537 days old) by Frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie)   |   | |
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Great clean-up job, Andrew! The black dishwasher looks sharp in your kitchen. Hope you're soon able to get the new racks you want. I loved the similarly-tiered upper rack on my 2006 Maytag, but as you mentioned elsewhere, you don't often wash large/hard-to-fit items as I nearly always do.
Question: What does the Power Scour option do, and can it be added to any cycle? Your post above says that the Heavy Cycle + Power Scour extends and heats the pre-wash. I'm unclear as to whether that's due to Power Scour alone, of if choosing the Heavy Cycle had something to do with it. |
Post# 772463 , Reply# 38   7/22/2014 at 11:35 (3,537 days old) by murando531 (Augusta, Georgia - US)   |   | |
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Thanks Frigilux! It's funny, the upper rack in my Maytag MDB4709 looks nearly identical, down to every curve and bend in the wiring, except without the guard bar at the front, and the color of course.
The manual states that Power Scour adds heat and time to the wash cycles, and can be used with Normal, Heavy, and Pots-n-Pans. In the cycle diagram, Heavy does a temp hold in both prewash and main wash, and then two rinses, the final rinse w/temp hold. With PS selected, I suspect it just lengthens each stage even further. I'll have to hang around and time the cycles sometime. If PS is selected with Normal, it does a quick prewash, then adds a temp hold to the main wash, and does two rinses rather than a purge and final rinse. I'm not sure what Pots and Pans does yet, but I assume it just makes it even longer than Heavy. I posted a link to the manual below. I love that it shows the cycle diagram for each selection; I wish they would do that in modern dw manuals. CLICK HERE TO GO TO murando531's LINK |
Post# 772482 , Reply# 39   7/22/2014 at 14:01 (3,537 days old) by logixx (Germany)   |   | |
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Power Scour: CLICK HERE TO GO TO logixx's LINK |